Refrigerating apparatus.



W. T. HOOFNAGLE.

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED {RUG-5| I915.

PatentedJime 19, 1917 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. T. HOOFNAGLE.

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.6, 1915.

Patented J une 19, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2- w. T. HOOFNAGLE. REFRIGERATING APPARATUS. APPHCATION FILED AUG.6|/|915.

1,230,483. I Patented June 19, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- lates to improvements in apparatus for cari WILLTMI T. HOOIENAGLE, OF GLEN RIDGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 ELECTRO- CHEMICAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

38,738, filed July 8, 1915, I have described a method and apparatus for cooling aqueous liquidsto the freezing point by introducing the liquid into a closed chamber, constantly exhausting the chamber to.

therefrom and causing an to circulate over the surface of the water, whereby it has been found possible to form ice with a higher pressure prevailing in the refrigerating chamber than is required in the usual vacuum process of ice-making, wherein air is excluded as far as possible from the refrigerating chamber. The present invention rerying out the'method" disclosed in the aforesaid. application. It is important, in order to obtain the best results, that the air shall be circulated in close contact with the water and the present invention other features, improved means for. distrib uting the air within the cooling chamber and causing it to flow swiftly in close contact with the water, whereby such rapid empoiz-e tion takes place that the water reduced to a, freezing temperature while the pressure within the chamber may be above that re quired for freezing under conditions where the air is excluded. Vthile, in the ordinary vacuum process, where air is excluded, it is necessary to maintain a pressure as low as 4.6 in. ill. to freeze water, I have found that by circulatingair through the freeziug or vacuum chamber and causing the incoming air to flow in close contact with the surface of the water, the water may be frozenfwit a pressure pervailingin the chamber ashigh as 30 to 35 m; m. Hencegby my method, the vapors at the point oflenitfroni the chamber are much denser than ini th'e. ordinary vacuum systenr and less power 'l,s equll'(d to expel the vapors from'the chainl-ierl .111 the accompanying hawing illustrates my invention,

Figure l is an elevation, partlyin I of a plant embodying my invention for making ice by the direct method;

Specification of Letters Patent.

remov 8 V 21.1301

3, through a embodies, among '16, and upon vhich section,

I on to move the ratchet Wheel REERIGERATING A?PARATUS.

Patented June 19, 1917.

Application filed August 6, 1915. Serial No. 43,971.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the air pipe and distributor for admitting air to the refrigerating chamber;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a'modifiedform of air distributer;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the air distributer shown in Fig. 3;

Fig, 5 is a detail view showing the cam and valve for controlling the admission of: water to the refrigerating chamber; and,

1g. 6 is an elevation, partly in section, of

a plant for cooling or refrigerating by the indirect method.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, of thedrawing, 1 indicates a pump for delivering distilled water, from a suitable source, preferably the well 2, to a deaerating chamber spray pipe 1. The deaerating chamber contains bafiles 5 and an agitating device 6, and this chamber is connected by a. pipe 7 to an exhaust pump 8. The appara-- -tus thus far described is substantially the same as that illustrated in my prior Patent N 0. 828,888, and in operation the water flows over the baffles in a thin stream and is agitated 1n the bottom of the chamber, and most of the air entrained in the water passes on" through the pipe 7. The pump 8 iscon- 'stantly in operation and the valve 9 in the pipe 7 remains partly or wholly open.

The water from the deaerating chamber 3 is allowed to pass at intervals, in regulated quantities, through a'pipe 10 to the pipe 11, which extends into a closed freezing chamber 12 and terminates in an annular nozzle 11. The pipe 11 contains a normally closed valve, indicated at 13, said valve having a spring pressed stem 13, with an adjustable extension 13 which is adapted to be engaged and moved, to open the valve, by cam surfaces 14-. on a cam wheel 14, (see Fig. 5). This cam wheel is mounted upon a suitable shaft 15, to which is secured a. ratchet wheel the shaft is arranged a bell crank ratchet lever 17, having a pawl 17 for engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel. One arm of the ratchet lever projects into vthe path of'movement of a pin 18 on a worm wheel 19, which is driven by a worm 20, connected "to a suitable source of power (not.

shown). The worm wheel turns in the -dil rectionof the arrow, Fig. 1-, and at each revolution of said wheel the pin 18 engages the ratchet lever and causes the pawl thereand cam Wheel a distance equal to the length of one of the cams 14. The stem of the valve normally rests between two of the cams on the cam wheel, as shown in Fig. and at each movement of the cam wheel, the valve opens'and closes, admitting a pre-determined quantity sons to increaseor decrease the total length of the stem and thereby increase or decrease "the duration of its engagement with the and ce'ssive cams.

The refrigerating chamber is '-'provided with an opening in one side through which a freezing can 21 may be inserted and removed, and a door 12 is provided for hermetically sealing this opening. ll connects the refrigerating chamber with the pipe 7 and-thence to the, exhaust pump 8,

and by means of these connections the refrigena'ting chamber may be preliminarily exhausted after the freezing can is laced within it and the door of the-cham r is closed. A valve 23 in the pipe 22 maybe opened to connect the freezing chamber with the pump 8, and after 'said chamberhas been exhausted, this valve may be closed or left.

partially open, according to the conditions prevailing in the refrigerating chamber.

In the central part of the top of the refrigerating chamber is arranged a cylindrical casing 24,'in the upper part of -which is a stufling box 25, and a pipe 26 extends through this stuiling box into the refrigerating chamber, this pipe carrying at its lower end an air distributing device (Z, more partic'ularly described hereinafter. The pipe 26 is movable vertically and is journaled in the stuffing box 25 and a stationary pipe section 26", into which it fits telescopically. A stuliin box 28 is arranged within the lower on of the section 26 and surrounds the pipe 26. The pipe 26 is supported by a lever 29, journaled at 30 u on a supporting arm 31, prpjecting from t e casing of the refrigerating chamber. One-arm of. the

lever 29 has a forked end which is,engaged' by trunnions 32 on a collar 33, which collar is journaled in a groove in a collar 34,-fixed tothe pipe 26. The opposite arm of the lever is connected by a cable 35 ton drum 3C, operated by a ratchet wheel 16. It will be evident that each time the ratchet wheel is moved to cause the valve 13 to open and admit water to the refrigerating chamber, the shaft 26 and air distributor d will be raised a given distance. The shaft 26 is provided with a driving pulley 37 and, by means of power applied through a belt 38, the shaft and distributer d are rotated during the freezing operation.

The casing 24, surrounding the shaft 26, is provided in order to form an oil-well to receive any oil or grease which maypass pipe 22 7 downward on said shaft from its bearings, and to prevent this oil and grease from entering t e freezing can, where it would not only contaminate the water, but where it would very seriously interfere with the cooling or freezing operation, since it would prebell-shaped collar 39 which projects out- Wardl end the u er ed e of said flan e and dirgl s. an oil it' liich fiiay flow (lowliward on tiles aft outwardly into the bottom ofthe'casing 24, thus preventin any oil from mean the freezing can. rom the casing 24', w ich constitutes an oil well,

any accumulation of oil may be withdrawn,

when the refrigerating chamber is open,

through a pet cock 40.

I I A main exhaust pump 41 has its suction end connected by the pipe 42 to the interior prewion side of the pump is connected by a pipe 43 to a surface condenser 44, from which a return pipe 45 extends to the upper end of the pipe section 26. In the upper end of the pipe section 26" is arranged a hand operated valve'46, for regulating the pressure of air flowing from the ipe 45 to the pipe 26. During the operationof the apparatus, the vapors drawn from the refrigerating chamber, and also the air con tainedjtherein, pass through the pipes 42 and 43 to the surface condenser where the vapors are condensed, the water of condensation passin through an extended drainage pipe 47 to t e well 2, while the air is returned to the refrigerating chamber through the pipes 45 and 26' and the distributor d. The air within the apparatus thus flows in a closed circuit, while the vapors are condensed and removed. The cooling water for the condenser enters through a ipe 48 and leaves the condenser by way o a pipe 49. For removing surplus air from the apparatus, a pipe 50 is connected to the condenser and to of the refrigerating chamber, and the coma small exhaust pump 51, and in this pipe is arranged a sultable pressure regulating valve 52, adapted to open automatically when the air pressure is greater than necessary for the proper operation of the apparatus.

The distributor d, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a hood or funnel-shaped extension 53 on the lower end of the pipe 26, and

. do wn into the canbelow the air distributer.

In operation the freezing can is placed in Fig. l, and the pipe 26 is lowered, by releasing the ratchet mechanism .until the disk of the air distributer is close to the bottom of the freezing can. VVhenthe door of the refrigerating chamber is closed, the chamber i's'preliminarily exhausted by opening the valve .23 and starting the'small pump,8.

I can. as each charge is admitted, the air When the pressure isreduced to about 30 m. p1,, the valve 23 is closed, or left open. After the' chamber has been preliminarily exhausted, the main exhaust pump t? and the mechanism for operating the yalve, 13 are started. The valve 13 is opened 'at timed intervals, allowing small charges ofwater to enter the freezing chamber and flow to the bottom (If the freezing distributer is moved up one step, thus keeping the lower face of the distributor always above the-surface of the water but close to it. The admissionof water, and the lifting'of the .air. distribut'er, it will be understood,"will be timed so that these operations will take place only as fast as the successive charges-of water can be frozen, and thus the ice will be frozen in successive layers, into a. solid block, while the air distributor will always be close to the la ers of water as they s n-cad out on the-ice beneath. The pump 41 is 'm..r t=;tined in constant operation and the vapor are withdrawn, along with the air within the refrigerating chamber, and compressed into the surface condenser 44,

1 where the vapors are condensed and passed tothe \vell 2, while the air flows back a through the pipes and 26 to the central in close contact with it.

inverted funnel 53, where the air spreads out i I and flows radially outward between the disk and the surface of the water, thence pass- .ing upward with the vaporsto the outlet pipe again; As the pipe 26 and the 'air distributer are rapidly rotated,vthc vanes 55 sweep the air over the surface of the w thin the refrigerating chamber, as shown slightly lating valve '52, which opens in response to 'by the pump 51, through the pressure regu- Y an increase in air pressure, above a predetermined amount. The velocity of the air over the surface of the water may be re ulated to some extent by adjusting the. va ve 46, to more or less restrict the passageway between the pipe 45 and the pipe 26 leading to the interior ofthc refrigerating chamber. By restricting this passageway, the air flow- -ing through the pipe 26 and the air distributer will beexpanded and will flow with greater rapidity over the surface of the water. f

By circulating the air over and in close proximity to the water, and by exhausting the air and vapors-in the manner described, the water can be frozen with a pressure as high'as 35 m. m. prevailing in the refrigerating chamber, whereas by the usual vacuum process, where air is excluded as far as practicable, freezing does not take place at a. greater pressure than 4.0 m. in. The ability to operate the plant at a pressure much above that required in the usual vacuum process, necessarily results'in a large saving in power because .less compression is required in expelling the vapors from the ap-- paratus. The air and vapors, it will ,be un derstood,-are, in the present apparatus, compressed by the pump from a pressure of about 30 to 35 In. m. up .to the pressure prevailing in the condenser, say m. m., whereas in the usual vacuum process the compression by the pump is from about 4.6 In. In. tothe condenser pressure. It follows also that the apparatus can be operated with exhaust mechanism of smaller capacity than in plants where the lower pressure must exist within the apparatus, as the air and .vapor at the higher pressure have much less volume than the vapor alone at the lower pressure.

lVhile the apparatus could be operated with air admitted from the atmosphere and exhausted again to the atmosphere, thiswould require a much greater expenditure of power than is necessary by the system h-ereindescribecl, where the/air is circulated within the apparatus. Experiments have shown that it is immaterial whether the air be moist or dry..

The form of distributerillustrated in Figs, 1 and 2 is the preferred form. flhis 18 preferably operated at a comparativeiv high speed, but even. if held stationarv, or. if'the vanes thereon be removed, good re sults may be attained although not as satis-' factory as if constructed and operated in the manner heretofore described. I

In Figs. 3 and 4,-I have shown a modified form of distril'niter rl, comprising a hollow drum attached to the pipe 26, said drum having a diameter approximately equal to the interior of the diameter of the freezing can and having a conical upper wall 58, which sheds and distributes the water entering through the water'inlet nozzle. The. drum has a cylindrical'flange 59.nt1ts lower end, and secured to the lower cnd'of tl'llS' flange is a disk 60, having small perforations 61 throughout its area, these perforations preferably being spirally arranged. In the operation -of this distributor the disk 60 is located close to the Water and the pi e and distributor are "rotated, the air owing through the pipe and into the drum, passing through the perforations, and thence outwardly over the surface of the water and in close contact with it.

In Fig. 6 of the drawing, I have shown the invention as applied to cooling brine for indirect ice-making, or other refrigerating purposes. When used in connection with a brine circulating system it is unnecessary to provide for moving the air distributor upward, step by step, since the level of the brine is maintained practically constant. Therefore, this feature is omitted from Fig. 6 of the drawing; otherwise the apparatus shown in- Fig.6 is largely a duplication of that shown in Fig. 1, and the similar refer- E'nce letters indicate similar parts in these "two figures. In Fig. 6, the cooling or re fri rating chamber 62 comprises a closed tanr adapted to hold-brine. The brine is circulatedrby means of a pump 63, through pipes (Si'and 65, the brine leaving the tank through'the lower pi e 64 and returning through the pipe 65. he air distributer 01 may be the same as in Fig. 1, and the distributer and pipe 26 are adjustable 'verti' cally by a hand lever 29. The brine is maintained at a constantlevel by the intermittent flow through the valve 13 in the pipe 1-1, and the air distributor is set close to the surface of the brine, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 6.

In operation, the tank 62 is preliminarily exhausted by the exhaust pump 8, and there after air and vapors are drawn from the tank by the pumpl thea vapor being cdndensed and separated from the air in the condenser 44,-and the air returnin through the pipes 45 and 26, through the istributcr to the surface of the water, the continuation of this operation causing very rapid evaporation of water and abstraction of heat from the brine. To compensate for loss of water through evaporation, the valve 13 is intermittently operated to admit water by the valveoperating devices.

For cooling brine the air distributor (i may be set very close'to the brine, as shown in full lines in Fig. 6, and this adjustment gives thcbest results; but for brine cooling the air distributer may'even be immersed in the brine, as indicated in dotted lines in Fi 6, and with this ad ustment the dis-- tri uter need not be rotated'as the air is brought in intimate contact with the brute and thence up from said vessel, means for admitting air to said vessel, and means for causing the air to flow parallel and in close contact with the surface of the li uid. i

3. In a vacuum re rigerating apparatus,ii

closed vessel adapted to contain an aqueous liquid, means for exhausting air and vapor from said vessel, means for returning the air to said vessel, and means for causing the air to flow parallel and in close contact with;

the surface of thcJiquid.

4. In a vacuum refrigerating apparatus,

a closed chamber adapted to contain an aqueous liquid, means for exhausting air and vapors from the chamber, an air distributer having a lower face adapted to ex and close to it, and means for causin a cure rent of air to flow between said face liquid.

5. In a vacuum refrigerating apparatus,

a closed chamber adapted to contain an...

ad the aqueous liquid, means for exhausting ,air and vapors from the chamber, an air dlstributer having a lower face adapted to extend arallel with the surface of the liquid and c use to it, means for rotating said dis-g tributer, and means for causing a current of air to flow between said face and the liquid.

6. In a vacuum refrigerating apparatus, a closed chamber adapted to containgan aqueous liquid, meansfor exhaustingiai'r and vapors from the chamber, an airdisf tributer having a lower face ada ted tqein tend parallel with the surface 0 the liquidand c use to it, and having vanes on said face, 'means for rotating said distributor, and means for causing a. current of air toflow between said face and the liquid.

7. In a vacuum refrigerating appin'a t us,

a closed chamber adapted to contain "an 3 aqueous liquid, means for exhausting his and vapors from the chamber, an air distributer having a lower face ada ted to cX-' tend parallel with the surface 0 the li uid and close to it, and an air pipeleading into said chamber and onnected to the central' portion of said distributor.

8. In a vacuum refrigerating apparatus,

a closed chamber adapted to contain an 9 tend parallel with the surface of the liqui aqueous liquid, means for exhausting air and vapors from the chamber, an. air distributer having a lower face adapted to extend parallel with the surface of the liquid and close to it, said distributor having vanes on' said lower face, an air pipe leading into said chamber and connected to the central portion of said distributor, and means for rotating thedistributer.

9. In a vacuum refrigerating apparatus, a closed chau'lber adapted to contain an aqueous liquid, means for exhausting air and vapors from the chamber, an air distributer within the chamber-having a substantially flat lower surface, and means for admitting air into said chamber beneath said surface.

10. In a vacuum refrigerating apparatus, a closed chamber adapted to contain an aqueous liquid, means for exhausting'air and vapors from the chamber, an air distributor Within the chamber having a substantially fiat lower surface, means for ad; mitting-air into said chamber beneath said surfacnn and means for adjusting said distrib'uter vertically.

11min a vacuum refrigerating apparatus,

a clos dfchamber adapted to contain an aqueous liquid, means for exhausting air and vapors from the chamber, tributelf'iwithin the chamber havinga sub stantially flat lower surface, means for admitting air into said chamber beneath said an air dissurface. means for adjusting the distributor vertically, and means for rotating the same.

12. In a vacuum refrigerating apparatus,

a closed chamber adapted to contain an' 13. In a vacuum refrigerating apparatus,-

a closed chamber adapted to contain an aqueous liquid, an exhaust pump, a surface condenser, a return ,pipe system leading from said chamber through said pump and condenser to said chamber, and a valve in said system between the condenser. and chamber for restricting the air flow.

14:. In a vacuum refrigerating apparatus, a closed chamber adapted to contain an aqueous liquid, an exhaust pump, a surface qol ldiicl, a return pipe system leading from said chamber through said pump and condenser to said chamber, a pressure regulator and means for exhausting air from said system connected between the compression side of the pump and the return end of said. system. i

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

WILLIAM T. HOOFNAGLE. 

